On November 13, a North Korean soldier defected through the demilitarized zone, eventually being shot 5 times by fellow North Korean soldiers before lying about 55 yards over the border, where he was dragged to safety by South Korean sergeants 40 minutes later. This video from the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission shows the harrowing escape from start to rescue.
Warning: this video contains graphic footage.
The solider, identified solely by his surname, Oh, made the defection by driving a military jeep toward the demilitarized zone before running across the border on foot after the vehicle became stuck off the road. North Korean soldiers chased after him, firing over 40 shots, 5 of which hit Oh. He was eventually dragged to safety by South Korean personnel, after which he was flown to Anjou Hospital, where he was successfully operated on, with doctors noting he was suffering from numerous ailments that indicated horrible conditions in North Korea.
If it's a little hard to keep track of what's going on with all the different cameras, this video will help to clarify the events:
The Washington Post has reported that the actions of the North Korean soldiers violated the armistice agreement, both by firing at the defector and chasing him across the border. The agreement has been in place since the end of the Korean War in 1953.
[via Jalopnik]
Very fortunate to live in a country where this is not a reality. However.......always a good idea to stop and share info with border control guards even when driving through friendly countries.
While I agree that the government of NK should ideally not exist (at least not in its current form), which opportunity is it that you're speaking of that was lost? Surely not the one where Chinese troops and Soviet air force pushed us back halfway across the peninsula where we fought to a rather bloody stalemate for two years before the fighting finally ended.
As far as wars go, that was not exactly a shining moment in American history given the piss poor job we actually did (for a variety of reasons, one of which was the heavy cuts in defense spending in the lead up to the war).
But not without the destruction of Seoul. It would be hammered with artillery fire.
Do you have any evidence of a war scenario where Seoul would not be attacked? I haven't seen any simulation from a reputable source that doesn't show this. Every general, foreign policy expert, Pentagon official, NATO representative, etc etc I've read said that Seoul would be destroyed. It's a metropolis of 25 million people less than 50 miles from 100s if not 1000s of NK artillery weapons.
Please don’t assume what I’ve read and haven’t read. I didn’t do that for you, which is why I’m not trying to refute what you said, but am asking for any evidence to back your claim. If you don’t have any and it’s just your opinion that’s fine. But I’d be interested in reading any reputable source’s war simulation that claims Seoul wouldn’t be heavily damaged if not destroyed.
OK so no direct evidence for the claim, just opinion based on previous experience. Gotcha.
I don't believe everything I read, which is why I asked for specifics in the first place.
I see no reason to continue this conversation until you address my original point, which was to provide reputable evidence from an expert analysis of a war scenario that does not show heavy damage to Seoul during a modern Korean War. Until then, no offense, this is just hearsay from a guy on a photography forum. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it’s meaningless to me without verifiable evidence.
You've got some nerve making assumptions about my ability to acknowledge history. I'm asking for verifiable evidence of a scenario where Seoul would not be heavily damaged or destroyed (which is what I asked for, I never said it would be destroyed, I was responding to another person's claim). You've given me no such report or verifiable information. You made your claim based on your experience and knowledge, which is fine, but again, absolutely meaningless to me and my original question. I mean no disrespect, but please, stop skirting my question if you have no verifiable expert analysis for me to review.
Highly likely. Artillery can't be shot down with anti-air and NK got thousands of them aimed at Seoul. Too many for the west to take out before they inflict massive damage. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Lol, why is this on Fstoppers? Because if you are going for that clickbait (you are), you're a few days late to the party.
I’m not going for any clickbait. It’s a striking example of the power of cameras, and that’s why it’s here.
Thank you for sharing Alex. Without cameras we would have been subject to the typical, 'We say, they say' from conflicting countries. this proves how sick North Korea can be and how brave the South Koreans are.
I'd suggest maybe talking about how it's relevant more in your article. You could have just as well taken a photo of your breakfast and told us how you cooked it and used the same reasoning for why it should be on a photography site.
Have you seen the weather channel's website? They have more clickbait than weather information but it must make sense because there's weather going on in most of the videos even though they don't make light of its significance.
My breakfast doesn't have major consequences on the course of world events.
well.....with that attitude...
I've had Beef Wellington and a Napoleon for dinner: both pretty consequential to world events. Next time I'll take a picture!
Hahaha, guess I'll have to work harder on my breakfast. ;)
Waiting for the same sensationalist speech on South Korean defectors (or not even defectors e.g. Ro Su-hui) who are equally repressed and shot because, you know, both countries were "always" on the warpath.
Also: why is this on Fstoppers? [2]
See my answer above.
It is on here because it falls under Photojournalism. He is just passing along info in case some readers have not seen this footage.
Exactly! And I'm Santa Claus. Ho ho ho
No, you are just a believer in an ideology, which results in more than 80millions of death across the globe in just 100yrs. I was born in one of these places your fellow believer destroyed, thank you.
Won't talk to fanatical dumb people. Thank you.
Oh, talking about dump, who did you just reply? Talking about working out great, Brazilian economy, your Lulinha Paza E Amor works great for you guys! Oh... Never mind...
I've been good this year. Can I have a pony? :-)
I wonder when we'll start getting articles on football games. They take photos at every game so it's totally relevant here.
CCTV = Photojournalism? Plot twist, man in video was being was being tracked by an algorithm, AI awarded copyright.
Although fstop as in fstoppers is a photographic term, it is a forum for sharing information, if you are not interested in a particular topic, simply pass it by. And to another point, if we had handled north korea, the same way we handled japan and germany in ww2, this problem would not exist.
I don't understand your point. Germany and Japan surrendered, allowing us to "handle" them in the way we did. That wasn't the case with North Korea.
That is the point, we didn't beat them to the point of surrender.
Oh. I thought you meant our post-war treatment of Germany and Japan. I'm not sure beating them to the point of surrender was possible. We were psychologically and economically tired by then.
very good point
Yeah but that's still part of the equation. Politics reflects the will of the people. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the military been given their head.
Of course they don't reflect the collective will of the people but that's impossible. It reflects the will, more or less, of the squeaky wheels. Historically, liberals have been more squeaky. 2016 was the year of the squeaky "right" wheels. :-)
The politicians representing the POV of those who don't care much, don't do much. Look at most Republican members of congress or Democrat members from Blue Dog states. I don't think it's a prefect reflection but, near enough as makes no difference.
i wouldve thought "the worlds most guarded border" would take a little more effort to cross than just driving through it. both sides mustve spent hundreds of millions on the DMZ and not even a road bump or a boom barrier?
Boredom.
People suffer wherever communism goes.
Yes, I suffer every day. Ahh the agony!
I'm not an exception. Most of my fellow citizens are glad to be part of our system. There are of course those of us that would like some more leaning towards capitalism, but within the balance of our system as a social democratic country. Our right side in politics is more similar to the Democrats then the Republicans.
No single economic or social system is the answer to mankind's diversity, so I believe that hybrid systems are the best solution. Some parts of capitalism and some parts from socialism - combined with democracy.
This comment brought to you by the people who brought you "Nananana boo boo I cant hear you"-fingers in ears
Norway? It is cooperation capitalist society(27% corporate tax and high personal tax) , while the US can go well above 35%. Ahh the ignorant.
Norwegian heathen here yeah. Social democracy. Personal tax is not that high; I payed below 30%. However, we have a rather large sales tax on items. 25% on most items.
If you want to dig into what socialism means in an economic level, the key is government planning production and the rationing of personal consumption. The actual socialism countries left in the world today: North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, all complete shitshows.
Marxism in general.
And dental cavities!
Maybe socialists speak for dental cavities too!? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Woah..